Military Recruits Might Be Wearing New Balance and Saucony Soon

Both New Balance and Saucony are hoping to produce sneakers for the U.S. military.

by Brendan Dunne

New Balance and Saucony are competing to outfit the U.S. military with domestically made sneakers.

The Boston Globe reports that the Pentagon agreed last year that armed forces recruits should be issued U.S.-made sneakers. The majority of sneaker companies are of course not equipped to create such shoes, having moved production to Asia, but both NB and Saucony have the capability.

The opportunity to produces these pairs is a big one–military recruits go through as many as 250,000 pairs of running shoes per year. The Berry Amendment, a law from the 1940s, actually requires the military to buy apparel and gear from domestic manufacturers, but the Depart of Defense claims that domestically produced pairs aren't currently up to par.

One fourth of New Balance's sneakers sold in North America already qualify as "Made in the USA", and Saucony has the capability for future U.S. production through the factories of their parent company, Wolverine Worldwide.

Look for more on the future of dome American-made running sneakers on Sole Collector soon.